By David Hedges, Publisher Times-Record
Borrowing a phrase from a familiar television commercial, Roane prosecuting attorney Mark Sergent told a Mason County jury that an elderly man was murdered because of what was in his wallet.
The body of 83-year-old Oral "Sam" Jett was found alongside his car on an isolated road in the Amma area on Jan. 4 of last year.
Roger Eric Jones, 32, of Chloe is charged with Jett's murder, along with the slaying of another Roane County man, 68-year-old John Morehead, whose body was found in his burned mobile home on the Arnoldsburg Road a week before Jett's death.
The charges involving Jett are the first of the two cases to come to trial. The case was moved to Mason County when Judge David Nibert said it would be difficult to find a jury in Roane County.
Jury selection was conducted Monday. Seven men and five women, along with two alternates, were picked to serve on the panel.
In his opening statement to jurors Tuesday, Sergent said robbery was the motive in Jett's death. Sergent said Jones had confessed to police that he killed Jett. He also said Jones tried to use a credit card that had Jett's name on it.
He said Jones' former girlfriend, Jamie Jarvis, told police Jones had given her instructions to drop him off at Jett's residence, in a trailer park near the Kanawha County line, and to pick him up at another location later.
When she picked him up, Sergent said Jones climbed into the trunk of the vehicle. When he climbed out later he had removed all his clothes.
Jarvis has already pled guilty to being an accessory to both slayings. She is awaiting sentencing and is expected to testify against Jones.
Sergent said the slain man's DNA had been found on boots which belonged to Jones and on a flashlight police believe was the murder weapon. A cigarette found in Jett's car also contained DNA that matched Jones, Sergent said.
Sergent said the case would show that "Roger Jones took Oral Jett's life for what was in his wallet." ...
Read complete story TIMES RECORD-ROANE COUNTY REPORTER
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